Tag: r18+

The Queensland Government has passed complimentary legislation allowing R18+ rated games to be legally sold in Queensland. The changes to the legislation were enacted at a federal level in January and were passed by all other states and territories at the same time.     The delay means that Queensland was officially the last western territory to create an adult rating for video games.   The first R18+ rated game expected to hit the shelves will be God of War: Ascension for the PS3.

A lawsuit filed against Activision by Guns N Roses frontman Axl Rose has been thrown out of court. Rose filed the claim in 2010, stating that he licensed the song “Welcome To The Jungle” to Activision for use in the game Guitar Hero 3 on the condition that the game did not feature former Guns N Roses guitarist Slash, or his new band Velvet Revolver.  When Guitar Hero 3 was released, not only was Slash in the game, he also appeared on the cover, and the soundtrack contained three Velvet Revolver songs.   The judge dismissed the lawsuit because it was filed too late, almost three years after the release of the game.

Rayman Legends has been delayed for a second time. Originally slated to be a launch title for Nintendo’s Wii U late last year, the game was previously delayed until April but has now been pushed back again and is set for  release in September this year.   First announced as a Wii U exclusive, it’s been revealed that the cause for the delay is so that the game can be simultaneously released for the Wii U,  the XBox 360 and the PS3.

Ron Gilbert, the creator of Monkey Island, will open the first ever Australian Penny Arcade Expo in July this year. Gilbert will deliver a keynote address on the first morning of the expo, which is commonly known as PAX and is being held in Melbourne.  This year will mark the first time that PAX has been held outside of the United States.

Journey, the acclaimed PS3 exclusive, missed out on a Grammy award. It was nominated in the category of Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media but lost out to the Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.  Journey is the only game to have ever received a Grammy nomination.

Candi’s Quickies:

Brett Ratner, director of the Rush Hour films and X-Men 3, has signed on to produce a television series based on Farmville.

Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka, founders of  Bioware (responsible for Dragon Age and Mass Effect) are set to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Game Developers awards next month.

A Youtube app for the PS3 has been released in Europe and Australia.  The app will allow users to view their subscriptions and control the app using a smartphone or tablet.

Listen Here

Aired 19 September 2012

Razor, Lee and Jody

We talked about the specifics of the R18+ Classification Guidelines, taking effect in Australia from 1 January 2013.

We also talked about the release date and pricing of the upcoming Nintendo Wii U console.  Nov 30 release date, AU$349 for basic model.

1. INSERT RUPEE – The Life and Death of Kirby

2. GUYBRUSH THREEPWOOD – Pirate Shot (Monkey Island)

3. LAURA SHIGIHARA – Fushigana Forest

4. PLANESCAPE: TORMENT S/TRACK – Title Theme

5. LUSTMORD – A Light That Is Darkness

6. LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA – Angry Birds Theme

Aired 7 March 2012

In studio: “The General” Lee, DJ LAME, Razor & Candi.

We spoke about the R18+ rating issue, recent developments and a recap of the progress.

Mass Effect 3 first impressions.

HALO: Anniversary

1. REDINHO – Lightning Strikes

2. APHEX TWIN – Pac-Man (Original Mix)

3. BITMUCH – Amelie Sensei

4. DZA – Skorost

5. PSYCHEOUT – New Rally X ’96

6. KRAMPFHAFT – Carl Sagan The Man

27 July 2011

in Studio: DJ LAME, Lee & Razor.

This week we spoke to Tim Colwill from www.r18games.com.au about the outcome of last Friday SCAG.
We talked about what we’ve been playing, including Bastion, Limbo and Champions Online.

1. DJ TYRANT & SELECT – Left vs Right
2. EBOLA – nintendo Dubstep
3. TERBUJURKAKU – Everybody Kombat Now
4. TUGBOAT – Hip Hop Medley #1

ZEDGAMES – Episode 68
25/05/2011

Presented by DJ LAME & RAZOR

This week:
DJ Lame and Razor spoke about E3 and what we’re looking forward to seeing there, including:

Star Wars: Old Republic
Street Fighter X Tekken
Gears Of War 3
Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Mass Effect 3
Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
GTA5
Saints Row 3
Mario 3DS
The Last Guardian
Battlefield 3
Batman: Arkham City
Assassins Creed: Revelations

Nintendo’s Project Café

1. BITIUM RIBBON – Day of the Tentacle Theme
2. OH! DEE – Contra Hard Corps
3. KEITH APICARY – Dreamcast 2 Song
4.TURBUJUR KAKU – Everybody Kombat Now
5: TUGBOAT – Remix Medley #1
6: TI – What U Know About NES? (Twister Beats Remix)

The week in Gaming:

The Minister for Home Affairs Brendan O-Connor has released a draft set of guidelines for an R18+ rating for videogames. These guidelines have been distributed to Attorneys General of each state ahead of the SCAG meeting in July.

A games collector from Thailand is selling his collection of every Final Fantasy game ever released across every console for $15,000. The collection is made up of over 70 games, some of which are extremely rare.

PSN store will not be back online today as recently advised by Sony. Instead, it appears the original prediction of the end of May will be the case.

Trion Worlds have announced that a free cross server character transfer will be available for new MMO RIFT. They are hoping this will normalise server populations.

ZEDGAMES – EPISODE 65
4 May 2011.

Presented by: DJ LAME, LEE & RAZOR

This week:
We discussed the ongoing PSN saga; R18+ updates; the importance of DLC in the games industry.

1. TAKADA – Let’s Fight a Boss (No More Heroes)
2. COMPUTER ROCKERS – Return of the Computer Rockers
3. DIBIASE – Circuit Breakin’
4. YMCK – Magical 8-Bit Tour
5. LENNERTVANDJK – Contra

No dead hookers were harmed during the making of this program…

South Australian Attorney-General John Rau has today stated that SA will introduce an R18+ rating for videogames regardless of any decision made at the upcoming SCAG in July.

The adult rating will replace the current MA15+. Rau made a statement last year that he believed that there should be a stronger discrimination between games for children and adults.

Currently it is necessary for all Attorneys-General to have a unanimous decision to change the national classification code to include an adult rating for video games, however states are able to independently legislate such changes with cabinet approval. This is seen with the X18+ rating for adult movies that in place for ACT and NT.

Source: Gamespot

\Razors view:
While the introduction of an R18+ rating is what gamers have been lobbying for years to have, the removal of the MA rating seems like a counter-productive measure. What about games that are suitable for late teens (Mass Effect, Assassins Creed, Dragon Age) but not necessarilly R material? Surely this will unfairly disadvantage the sizeable demographic of late-teen gamers? If the MA15+ rating isn’t needed, then why keep it for film and literature? Rau uses the word “interactive” to justify this but is that really a valid reason these days? I’d love to hear more views on this.